Imaging findings of traumatic injuries in survivors of the 6 February 2023 earthquake in Turkey.

In the southeastern part of Turkey, two earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred within 9 h on 6 February 2023, causing 120,000 injuries and over 50,000 deaths. Evacuees were transferred to various secondary and tertiary hospitals as the health system and hospitals in the affected region were affected by the earthquake. Injuries were mostly caused by blunt trauma and/or prolonged bruising under rubble. The severity and pattern of traumatic injuries in earthquake victims differed from other trauma patients who were not affected by an earthquake. In addition to traumatic injuries that affected multiple body regions and systems, patients who were trapped under debris for long periods of time were also frequently found to have crush syndrome. Pulmonary thromboembolism and hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury were observed in some patients. In this review, we present the imaging findings of traumatic injuries in earthquake victims, emphasising the earthquake-related distinct injury types.

Nitroderm TTS band application for pain after hemorrhoidectomy.

PURPOSE: Anal sphincter spasm is believed to play an important role in pain after hemorrhoidectomy. We tested a different form of nitroglycerin: the Nitroderm TTS band. We investigated its efficacy on posthemorrhoidectomy pain and the relation between pain and anal resting pressure measured preoperatively and postoperatively. METHODS: Thirty-eight hemorrhoid patients were divided into two groups: those with high anal resting pressure were classified as group A (n = 24) and those with low anal resting pressure were classified as group B (n = 14). After hemorrhoidectomy, Nitroderm TTS bands were placed into the anal canal in half of the patients in groups A and B (groups A-1 and B-1) and not in the remaining half (groups A-2 and B-2). Anal resting pressure measurement was repeated at the first day and third month postoperatively. Postoperative pain was assessed by linear analog scale, and analgesic consumption was recorded. RESULTS: Preoperative anal resting pressure was 112.0 (range, 95-140) cm H2O in group A-1 and 110.6 (range, 96-138) cm H2O in group A-2. The difference was insignificant. However, on the first postoperative day, anal resting pressures were 88.7 (range, 75-115) and 110.9 (range, 92-135) cm H2O (P = 0.0001), and at the third month, they were 76.5 (range, 70-100) and 78.0 (range, 70-105) cm H2O, respectively (P = 0.690). Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in group A-1 than group A-2 (P = 0.0001). In the low-pressure groups (B-1 and B-2), anal resting pressures before surgery, on the first postoperative day, and at the third month postoperatively were 70.4 (range, 56-76), 67.4 (range, 50-75), and 67.2 (range, 55-74) cm H2O in group B-1 and 69.8 (range, 58-76), 70.2 (range, 60-76), and 68.4 (range, 60-74) cm H2O in group B-2. The differences were insignificant (P > or = 0.660). The differences between pain scores in these groups were also insignificant (P > or = 0.160). CONCLUSION: Nitroderm TTS bands effectively reduced anal resting pressure and relieved pain in patients with high preoperative anal resting pressure.

Experimental sodium phosphate and polyethylene glycol induce colonic tissue damage and oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: Bowel washout solutions may damage colonic mucosa and cause shallow ulceration, which may result in diagnostic errors and complications. The effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium phosphate on rat colon were investigated histologically and by measurement of indicators of oxidative stress. METHODS: Thirty Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups and received PEG, sodium phosphate or tap water alone (control). After 8 h, histological changes in colonic mucosa were evaluated. The tissue concentration of malonyldialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in colon homogenates was also measured. RESULTS: Animals in the sodium phosphate and PEG groups had significantly more colonic mucosal damage than controls, the damage induced by sodium phosphate being worse than that caused by PEG. MDA levels were significantly higher in the sodium phosphate and PEG groups than in controls and were higher in the sodium phosphate group than in the PEG group, whereas differences in SOD and GSH-Px activities were significant only between control and both sodium phosphate and PEG groups. CONCLUSION: Sodium phosphate and PEG cause histological damage and trigger oxidative stress on colonic mucosa. The tissue damage and oxidative stress induced by sodium phosphate is more profound than that produced by PEG.

Modified technique for correction of gynaecomastia.

OBJECTIVE: To test a modification of the circumareolar incision for correction of a gynaecomastia from the points of view of complications and appearance of the scar. DESIGN: Clinical study. SETTING: Military and university hospitals, Turkey. SUBJECTS: 32 patients with gynaecomastia operated on between 1992 and 2000. INTERVENTIONS: Simon I patients were treated with an inferior semicircular periareolar incision (n = 12). Half of the Simon II patients had the same incision and the others were treated with a modified extended incision (n = 10 in each group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Haematoma, skin necrosis, nipple inversion, low-seated nipple, asymmetry, hypoaesthesia and hypertrophic scar. RESULTS: Simon II patients treated with the unmodified incision had more haematomas and seromas than Simon I patients and worse cosmesis (p = 0.009 and p = 0.02). However, the complication rates did not differ significantly compared with the Simon II patients who had the modified incision. CONCLUSION: A modified extended circumareolar incision results in fewer complication and better cosmesis in grade II gynaecomastia than the standard incision.

Endothelial cell response to different mechanical forces.

PURPOSE: Endothelial cells (ECs) are subjected to the physical forces induced by blood flow. The aim of this study was to directly compare the EC signaling pathway in response to cyclic strain and shear stress in cultured bovine aortic ECs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ECs were seeded on flexible collagen I-coated silicone membranes to examine the effect of cyclic strain. The membranes were deformed with a 150-mm Hg vacuum at a rate of 60 cycle/min for up to 120 minutes. For a comparison of the effect of shear stress, ECs from the same batch as used in the strain experiments were seeded on collagen I-coated silicone sheets. The ECs were then subjected to 10 dyne/cm(2) shear with the use of a parallel flow chamber for up to 120 minutes. Activation of the mitogen- activated protein kinases was assessed by determining phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 with immunoblotting. RESULTS: ERK, JNK, and p38 were activated by both cyclic strain and shear stress. Both cyclic strain and shear stress activated JNK with a similar temporal pattern and magnitude and a peak at 30 minutes. However, shear stress induced a more robust and rapid activation of ERK and p38, compared with cyclic strain. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that different mechanical forces induced differential activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. This suggests that there may be different mechanoreceptors in ECs to detect the different forces or alternative coupling pathways from a single receptor.

Mitogen-activated protein phosphorylation in endothelial cells exposed to hyperosmolar conditions.

The effect of hyperosmolarity on the induction of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) was studied in bovine aortic endothelial cell (EC). Different types of agents were used to differentiate the effects of osmolarity from other variables. Hypertonic treatment with physiologically relevant levels of NaCl (350 mOsm/kg H(2)O) significantly increased the level of expression of p38 within 2 min, and ERK-1/2 and JNK after 10 min. The inductions peaked between 30 and 60 min and returned to baseline levels within 2 h. A similar pattern of induction occurred with ionic contrast agent. p38 induction by glucose and mannitol showed a similar pattern, although the level of ERK-1/2 phosphorylation was not as robust, and JNK was not induced by glucose. Urea did not affect the level of induction of the MAPK isoforms. It is concluded that MAPK plays an important role in hyperosmolality-induced signal transduction. Different osmotic agents induce MAPK expression differently. No MAPK induction with urea implies that cell shrinkage may be an important component of hyperosmolality-induced MAPK phosphorylation.

Incidence and aetiological factors in pilonidal sinus among Turkish soldiers.

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence and causes of pilonidal sinus in Turkish soldiers. DESIGN: Open study by questionnaire. SETTING: Military and University hospitals, Turkey. SUBJECTS: 1000 soldiers who presented for their first medical examination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation between factors known to be associated with pilonidal sinus, and incidence of pilonidal sinus. RESULTS: 88/1000 soldiers had pilonidal sinuses; in 48 they were symptomatic and in 40 asymptomatic. The factors associated with the presence of a pilonidal sinus were: family history of pilonidal sinus (18/88 compared with 32/912, p < 0.0001); obesity defined as weight over 90 kg (34/88 compared with 32/912, p < 0.0001); being the driver of a vehicle (58/88 compared with 308/912, p < 0.0001); and the incidence of folliculitis or a furuncle at another site on the body (22/88 compared with 64/912, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Pilonidal sinus is an acquired condition, penetration of hair is the main cause, and the disease can be prevented if the aetiological factors are understood.